PLOT TO KIDNAP GIRL.

Western Star, 8 December 1933, Page 3

PLOT TO KIDNAP GIRL.

THREATS ON EVE OF WEDDING WOMAN NEATLY TRAPPED. POLICE STRATEGY SUCCEEDS All the elements of a highly melodramatic film have invested the latest kidnapping threats in America. The vic- ' tim was to be a pretty debutante and niece of the partner of Mr J. P. Morgan, the famous banker. She actually received the threat on the eve of her wedding. A hectic time for the police followed. They set innumerable traps for the would-be kidnappers, arranged an impersonation of the girl's father, made up a dummy packet of banknotes, and then awaited developments in a car loaded with machine guns. Now the alleged perpetrators of the plot are to stand trial under what has become known as the "Lindbergh Law," by which people convicted of sending threatening letters to kidnap can be sent to prison for twenty years. Hollowed loaves of bread wherein to hide the ransom money, amazing letters, criminals with cold feet, decoy motor cars, alarming telephone calls, a secret wedding, and a more secret honeymoon —all have a place in this thrilling story of real life. Miss Helen Batchcllor is 22 and the niece of Mr Russell Leffingwcll, partner of Mr J. P. Morgan. She was a social success of the and arrangements - were fast proceeding for her. wedding to be one of the great occasions of the year. Nearly all New York's "four hundred" were to be present.

EVE OF THE WEDDING. On the eve of the wedding, however, there came to the house a letter for the girl's father, which ran:—"This is just a little matter to be taken up between ourselves. It has come to our notice that you have a very attractive daughter, and naturally you want to keep her. 'So we just want a little money to ensure her safety. We won't ask for much; just a sum you can easily pay. We demand IO.COOdoI (about £2,000). If you notify the police it will not be so good for your daughter.. If there is one word said you will bo sorry. We mean that. If you don't believe it, just try something and you will find out. And another thing, if any one of our men is in any way harmed we will still carry put our plans. Do as we say and keep your mouth shut, and everything will be O.K. It don't pay to be a wise guy. There followed instructions to advertise in the personal columns the message to be addressed to "Ralph" and signed "Father George." After consultation with his family and lawyers the bride's father at once took the letter to the police, and then acted under their instructions. The girl was accorded an armed escort night and day, her home was guarded, and detectives even lived in the house among the many servants. GIRL SECRETLY MARRIED. Then came a day when Helen Batchellor actually disappeared, but not to the hiding place of the kidnappers. Sht was very secretly married in her own home, with her- parents and the detectives as the only witnesses. Then she and her husband were spirited away by the polico on a secret honeymoon. For weeks the original threats continued, and time and again traps were laid and evaded.

Exasperated eventually beyond restraint, the anonymous gang finally declared that unless tho money they demanded was forthcoming the next day "the home of tho bride's father would be blown down."

Then the police worked on a grand and clever scale. The menacing letters were always followed by telephone instructions, so special wires wero fixed to check up the "origin of the calls. By this means a woman who always did the telephoning was 1 caught. She had used a little grocery store not far away from tho home of the Batehellors, and immediately she got on the line the police sent out patrols to surround the area. ARREST,OF A WOMAN. Meanwhile, acting on the "instructions" she had given, a police officer disguised as Mr Batchellor drove a, car to an appointed spot. To all appearances he was alone, but .as a matter of fact three other officers were hidden in the back of the car with machine guns. "Mr Batchellor" had in his possession a package made up of paper for the most part, but with a top and bottom covering of hundred-dollar notes. This bundle was placed behind some boards, as "ordered" in one of the kidnapping letters, and then another detective spotted a woman waiting in a small car near the spot. She answered the description of a woman who had been observed telephoning tho "instructions,'" and she was arrested there and then. After an all-night question by detectives the woman, it is stated, gave away the whole story and implicated her partnsr.